


House of Ducks

by LunaStarsNight



Category: Disney's House of Mouse (Cartoon), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), Legend of the Three Caballeros (Cartoon)
Genre: Beginning is set 5ish years before the events of 2017 Ducktales, Dad Donald, F/M, Fluff, Gus is in this of course, Huey Dewey and Louie are babies for most of the beginning lol, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I ship Donald and Daisy, I should probably start doing real tags now oops, I'll probably add more for characters later, I'm convinced HoM is set in a pocket dimension or something, Lots of Disney character references because of House of Mouse, Mom Daisy, Navy Donald, Parent Donald Duck, Quack Pack references, References to Donald's PTSD, Sorry for OCness, Sorry for inaccuracy, The Three Caballeros as a band because yES, The boys will become the QuackStreet boys don't worry, This is my first story I actually don't know if I'm doing this right, he totally has PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-01-15 06:20:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21248837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaStarsNight/pseuds/LunaStarsNight
Summary: It's not usual for Uncle Donald to be so excited for a job. Sure he'd be excited to get a job in the first place, but never the work itself. The ducklings can't help but be curious. What kind of place is this, and how does everyone there know their Uncle?Alternate: Donald gets a job at his friend, Micky's, family friendly club. The boys get involved. The Caballeros get involved. And so does Daisy, of course.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN/Info: I’m sorry if this is too OC, I’m new to writing and tend to project what I see in character rather than how they are, but I try really hard not to do so. In accords to Daisy, she is more nice and loving in this story than how she’s usually portrayed. This is because, not only is it easier to ship them when she’s not being mean, but because I’m following a more Quack Pack/House of Mouse Daisy, who is a very nice girlfriend to Donald. Also sorry if the explanation for why she didn’t contact him for five years is dumb, but I really couldn’t think of anything else. (If anyone needs the timeline to be clearer, than I’ll try my best to explain)

It all started when Donald ran into Daisy. He was running late for work, again, having just dropped his three ducklings off at kindergarten with morning traffic. But this time he was sure he was fired. He sighed as he slowed his fast pace. Guess it was time to get out his resume, for the fourth time that month. “Donald?” He stopped in his tracks. It couldn’t be. He turned around. It was.

Donald quacked and jumped in fear, before preparing to run, but halted when he heard her laugh.

Daisy smiled at him, “Let’s go get a coffee together.” 

Donald melted on the spot, only nodding in reply.

\---

There was a small cafe next down the block from where they met up, called “Home Brew”. It was mostly empty, customers coming here and there. There were a few posters hung up on the wall, most being corny coffee puns. It had a homey feeling to it and smelled like chocolate and caramel. But sadly, none of it was enough to smother Donald’s nerves.

He shrunk down in his seat at the booth they were sitting at. Daisy was across from, holding onto a piping hot cup.

There was silence for awhile, both ducks just relishing in the moment. But the silence couldn’t last forever.

“So,” Daisy began, “How’s it going Donald?” When seeing his hesitant look, she smirked, “Meet any new girls?”

She knew it worked when he started to sputter and wave his hands around frantically, “No! No of course not!” They had never officially broken up. Parting as a happy couple when he left for the Navy, and losing contact. Donald had tried to reach out to her when he came back, but never got a call back.

He calmed down and sighed, “I know it’s silly, but I thought we were still together? Have  _ you _ found a new guy?”

Daisy dropped her easy going smile, “No. I wanted to believe we were still together too.”

He frowned, “Then why haven’t you ever visited, called?” He clenched his fists, trying to hold down his temper. 

She looked down at her folding hand on the table. She was quiet for a moment, then looked up and met his eyes. His fist unclenched. 

“When I first heard you were back from the Navy, you had already been back home for five months.”

Donald’s eyes widened, “What?” 

She looked away again, nervously, “Remember how I used to work as a reporter?” he nodded. He worked for the same news station as her cameraman, “I was down in South America doing a story on some shady companies that were running rampant in Mexico and Brazil. It all turned out to be a hoax, but I was stuck there for five months with all the hassle that comes with travel and researching.”

Daisy paused and drank from her cup. Donald furrowed his brows. Mexico and Brazil? That was where his friends lived. It was probably just a coincidence. “Well why didn’t you contacted me when you were back?”

Daisy sighed, “Five years ago, I was a lot more dumb and insecure than I am now, Donald. I was so excited to see you again, but doubts crept in my mind about how you would hate me for not being there. But I really was going to come to you.” She shut her eyes, “But then I was asked to do a report on your sister’s disappearance.”

Donald was quiet. He wasn’t surprised. Della was all over the news for about a month before the media got bored. He tried desperately to avoid TV during that time. “Did you do it?”

“No,” Daisy drank from her cup. Donald could feel his getting cold. “I couldn’t, but I knew that you were dealing with enough as it was. So I never called. I quit my job and now I work as a reservation clerk at a family friendly club. When I saw you walking down the street, I thought it would finally be my chance to get back in touch with you.” she looked at him hopefully.

Donald sighed, “Daisy, I would have loved to have you with me these past years. I’m not mad that you weren’t though. I understand having doubts about your place with others. As long as we can start over? It’s been five years, and that’s a long time, but I think-”

“We might just make it work?” Daisy finished for him with a smile, “Donald, I would be  _ honored _ .” 

They spent the next five minutes just basking in each other, then the next thirty catching up. Doanld told her all about his boys, Daisy told him about how her nieces were graduating. Then the topic came back to work.

“I was on my way to work when you called out to me.”

“Oh no, really? You’re so late!”

“I was already late. I’ll have to start looking for a new job soon. Why are you looking at me like that?”

She smirked, “Well, I might just be really good friends with the owner of the club I work at. I  _ could _ ask him if there’s a position.”

“Really?!”

“In fact, he’s sure to hire you!”

“Why’s that?”

“Oh, I don’t know, it’s not like he’s your childhood friend, Mickey Mouse, or anything…”

“What?!” followed by a series of quacks.

\---

They agreed to meet at the coffee place again, same time, tomorrow, where Daisy would then take him to Mickey’s club. Donald groaned and hit his head against the table. He had just put the boys to bed so that was one less thing to worry about for the time being, but his thoughts kept going back to that morning. Everything that went down with Daisy still very fresh in his mind.

He said he would give her another chance, but she did leave him when he needed her most. On the other hand, Donald couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn't have done the same. He still loved her, and she said she still loved him, but was it going to be enough after so long apart?

Then there was the case of the elusive House of Mouse. He also hadn’t seen Mickey in years, having lost contact around the time he was about to join the Navy. Would he be as forgiving as Donald and Daisy were for each other, for his old best friend?

Donald sighed and rubbed his eyes. If everything went well tomorrow he would tell his nephews all about Daisy, Mickey, and maybe all his other friends. He hadn’t seen Goofy since his boy Max was just a baby and his mother died. Donald groaned as he realized, how could he be mad at Daisy if he’d done the same to two of his best friends!?

It seemed that Panchito and Jose were the only ones in his past he’d kept in good contact with since The Spear of Selene, and even that was pretty scarce.

He walked over to the sleeping forms of his darling ducklings and smiled sadly. He would trade anything for Della to be back home safe with her sons, but just as he declared five years prior. 

When she went on that godforsaken rocket ship, Donald vowed to be the best parent he could possibly be. Even if that meant swallowing his pride and meeting with old friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)  
Hopefully the next few chapters will be longer, but I really wanted to get this out there. This is the first thing I've ever posted so this is really big for me, so thanks everyone who reads, even if you don't like it.
> 
> I accidentally put Portuguese instead of Brazil in the 1rst chapter and I'm cracking up, but I'm also deeply ashamed lol. But it's fixed now, so enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donald and Mickey reunite, and Donald finally gets a job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT Notes: Keep in mind, The House of Mouse business is just starting up, so it won’t be as fancy or well established as it is in the show. Also, in House of Mouse, Donald in the co-owner, but for now he’ll just be a regular employee with ties to the owner. He and Mickey have been apart to long for Mickey to outright ask him to co-manage a business with him. But Donald will work his way up, both in the job and in his relationships with his family and friends.

“Come on, Donald! I already told him you were coming!” Daisy rolled her eyes at him.  
He was practically shaking in his sailor hat, nerves about this job interview higher than any he had had before. Donald quacked in surprise when Daisy grabbed his hand and started to nearly drag him to the front steps of the mouse's club. 

What if Mickey hated him? What if he only let Daisy bring him to tell him off? Donald sighed and stopped struggling against Daisy. Well, he really needed a job and Mickey was such a nice person, always so forgiving. When they were in school together, he and Goofy were always there to defend Donald from his bullies. He needed to at least take the chance to repair their lost friendship. 

So, now a little bit more convenient, he walked hand in hand with Daisy down the outside carpet, and into the double door entrance. 

The inside was actually quite grand for a starting business. It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty fancy. The front desk where Daisy worked was nice and spacious. The ceiling was high and the place was well decorated. And this was just the front room! Donald chuckled as he looked around.

"Impressive, right?" Daisy smiled at him.

"Yeah" he smiled back. It was really good to be with her again.

"Donald Duck? Oh golly!"exclaimed the unmistakable, high pitched voice of Mickey Mouse himself. Before he could blink, Mickey had tackled Donald in a hug.

In shock, he didn't react, and Mickey pulled back, "It's been so long! We have so much to catch up on!" And as the mouse beamed at him, Donald felt the tension in his shoulders start to fade. He was still nervous, and it was still going to take some time for everything to go back to how it was before, but his confidence was getting bigger and he was determined to get all his lost friends and family back. Well, most of them at least.

\--

The three of them were sitting in one of the many seats in the main room. It was closed today so they were the only ones there, but that only made the place seem ever more big. Tables all around, an enormous, beautiful stage, lights and a big screen. And so much more.

Donald whistled, “Wow Mickey! How did you afford this place?”

Mickey blushed a bit, and looked around the room, "It's really not much. Just used all the money I was saving up from previous jobs over the years. It's always been my dream to be an entertainer, this isn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's going to work as a steady business, I'm sure of it!" Mickey chuckled.

Donald smiled, when they were in school together, Mickey was always the class leader, the lead in the school play, etc. Owning a business like the House of Mouse was perfect for the mouse.

"Well, anyway," Mickey turned to him, "Daisy said you were looking for a job?"

"Um, yes," he cleared his throat, "If you have any positions available, of course."

"Well I only opened the place about two months ago and so far I've hired Daisy, as the reservation clerk, Goofy is the head waiter, but there are a few others, and since we don't have any entertainment yet, like a band, I hired Horace to manage playing short films instead. And of course there’s Minne! She’s the show planner, and most of the administration. She also cooks at the moment because we haven’t found a chef yet.” 

Donald hmmed, “Well, I’m not a very good cook...But speaking of Minnie and Goofy, I’d love to see them!”

Mickey smiled, “And I’m sure they’d love to see you,” he then frowned, “After what happened, I didn’t think I’d see you again. It’s really good to see you, Donald.”

“I….it's good to see you too," Donald cursed himself for chickening out. He wanted to apologize, but he didn't know how to. 

Mickey smiled again, "Goofy and Minnie were busy today so they couldn't come in, but you'll definitely see them on the job!"

"So you're hiring him?" Daisy cut in, grinning. 

"Of course," Mickey laughed, " We'll just need to find him a job first."

Donald hummed in thought, "Didn't you mentioned needing a chef? Well, I can't do that, but I have a cousin who went to cutlery school."

"Really? That's great!" Mickey clapped his hands, "After we find you a position, ask if he needs a job!"

Donald chuckled, "Will do."

\---

Mickey gave Donald a full tour around the building. Daisy followed along the whole time, making passing comments every once in a while.  
Though, only when it started getting late, did they finally figured out their dilemma.

They were walking back to the entrance when Daisy snapped her fingers in realization, "Haven't you been complaining that we need someone to attend to VIP guests specifically? And customer service?” 

The mouse face palmed and chuckled, “Golly, how could I forget something so obvious! Daisy you’re a lifesaver!”

She laughed and waved him off, “Don’t mention it. I’m just trying to help!”

“So,” Mickey turned to Donald, who was starting to look nervous, “You think you can do it, Don?”

He rubbed his neck feathers, “I don’t know...I’m not the best with people…”

Mickey put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly, “I’m sure you’ll do fine! How about you test it out for a few days, and if it isn’t working out we’ll find something else for ya!”

Donald smiled, “Thanks, Mickey.”

“No problem!” they smiled at each other and it almost felt like old times.

\--

“Well, it was great to have you! See ya both tomorrow!”

“See you,” Daisy started walking out of the doors, but noticed Donald was more hesitant, “Talk to him,” She whispered and shoved the duck to his old friend. Se went outside to wait for him and give the two privacy.

There was a moment of silence before Mickey broke it, “Donald, I’m sorry. I should have tried harder to stay in contact...After what happened-”

Donald interrupted him without thinking, practically yelling “No! I should be the one apologizing! I engroused myself in my own grief without thinking of anyone else or the consequences. I…” he got quiet. 

“That’s not true, Donald,” Mickey looked him in the eye, “You were going through something that I can’t even imagine, coming back from the Navy no less! And just because we haven’t talked in so long, doesn’t mean we’re not friends anymore! I know it’ll take awhile, but it’d be great to be able to go back to how close we used to be.”

His eyes filled with tears and he grabbed Mickey in that hug he didn’t reciprocate earlier, “Thank you..” He and Daisy almost immediately fell into their old pattern, but he was worried that wouldn’t happen with his childhood best friend. But it appears he was worried for nothing. If anyone would forgive and forget instantly, it would be Mickey Mouse!

They broke their hug and Mickey beamed, “I’ll see you tomorrow, pal! And bring your boys sometime!” 

“What? How do you know about them?”

“Daisy told me!”

\---

The two ducks were walking hand in hand down the street, on their way to Daisy’s house. He was going to drop her off, then rush back to his houseboat to tuck his boys in. Luckily he had a babysitter watching them. 

Once they got to the doorstep of a nice looking apartment complex, Donald felt confident to ask, “Daisy, would you like to go out sometime? Our first date after so long?”

She smiled, “The only thing you need to ask is when I’m available, because I’ll always be happy to be with you. And we still have so much catching up to do. So text me, ok?”

Daisy kissed his cheek, and he blushed. They said their goodbyes and parted ways. Donald walked home feeling happier than he had in years. He still had people to talk to, friends to reunite with, but so far his bad luck seemed to be talking a pause.

When he got home, he tucked his kids in. He missed his sister more than anything, but as the years went by, he had to acknowledge that he was raising her sons, not her like  
she was supposed to. The three kids called him Uncle Donald, but to them the difference between uncle and parent was basically nonexistent.

Tomorrow was Sunday, so the babysitter would come again to watch them, but he had time before his first day of work to tell them what was going on with his job and his girlfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drinking game: Take a shot every time you read ‘Mickey’


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Huey, Dewey, and Louie action, and Donald goes to work!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how clubs work, so please bare with me.

There was a pattern that Louie and his brothers followed. During the school week, Uncle Donald woke them up at seven and made them breakfast. While he was doing that, Louie would get dressed, Dewey would use the bathroom, and Huey would help Uncle Donald pack their lunches. Then, they switched. Louie would take the bathroom, Dewey would help Uncle Donald with their lunches, and Huey would get dressed. They would do this until all of them were done and then go and eat breakfast, just like Uncle Donald had taught them. 

"A sound system can make sure your day will go right! But if things don't go as planned, don't be discouraged! A little bit of improvisation never hurts." Uncle Donald had once said to them. Huey then asked what improvisation meant, slowly trying to pronounce each syllable of the word. Uncle Donald tried to help, but he had a hard time pronouncing it himself. He was able to tell the triplets what it improvisation meant though.

Afterwards, while laying in bed. Louie watched as Huey had tried to write the definition they had learned in his notebook without altering or waking anyone. While he wasn't like his brother, so eager to learn, Louie prided himself on being smart. If not smart, clever, or observant. He was able to talk his way out of punishments from teachers, get an extra cookie from the babysitter, and especially, know his Uncle’s moods.

So when Uncle Donald woke them up Monday morning at seven, Louie could tell something was off. He didn’t get his answer until breakfast.

Uncle Donald put their bowls of oatmeal down in front of them, a cup of milk each, and a piece of buttered toast on a plate, then sat down to eat with them.

Huey and Dewey dug in excitedly, as growing ducklings need their food after all! As Uncle had said and they had happily taken to heart. And while Louie was hungry, he couldn’t help but notice the way Uncle Donald’s leg bounced with nerves, or excitement? What was going on? When he was going for a job interview, he would fret over everything. His outfit, his resume (“What’s a res-um-ay, Uncle Donald?”), even his voice (which confused Louie greatly). Was Uncle Donald going to work? No, he had said he was fired the other day, plus he was wearing casual clothes, which he told them was not professional enough for work. (“What is pro-fesshh-ion-al?”)

“Boys,” The older duck said, knocking Louie out of his thoughts and making Huey and Dewey pause their frantic eating, “I have some good news.”

“We don’t have to go to school?” Dewey suggested hopefully.

“No”, Uncle Donald chuckled, “I got a new job!”

Huey, Dewey, and Louie all smiled widely, excited. When Uncle Donald got a new job that meant a few days (or hopefully weeks!) of fun snacks and the occasional new toy.

But Louie could tell something was up, “But what’s special about this job, Unca’ Donald?”

His older brothers looked at him in confusion, but their guardian just smiled, “Well this time, I’ll hopefully be able to keep this job for a long, long time.” 

Dewey squealed and wriggled around, delighted, and Huey laughed when Dewey fell on top of him. Louie joined in their dog pile and started to daydream about the possible things they would be able to buy.

Donald checked the time and jumped a little, “I’m glad you boys are excited, I am too, I’ll tell you more tonight, but hurry up with your food! We’re going to be late.” he got up and started to grad their backpack, “Louie you’ve hardly eaten, hurry!”

\---

After dropping three, hyper ducklings off at school, Donald headed in the direction of The House of Mouse. He had about twenty minutes, and with morning traffic he estimated he would just about get there in time. 

Louie was right when he guessed this job was special, Donald would never not be amazed by how observant the kid could be. Huey was book smart, Dewey was mischief smart, and Louie was people smart. He tried to make sure to teach Louie what he could and shouldn’t use that skill for, but he was worried Louie’s words would get him in trouble one day. Unfortunately, it would be hard to know if he was successful until the boy had grown a bit more.

But this job was special for more than obvious reasons like seeing his friends for the first time in years, or most likely being able to stick to a job for more than a week or two. Mickey said he had wanted to have him handle customer service and VIP guests. Usually, once employers heard his voice, they either wrote him off completely, or only hired him for jobs without much customer interactions, as not to ‘scare them off’. It never really  _ bothered _ him, per say, but it always gave him anxiety about job interviews and even meeting new people. But his many travels and experiences (especially in the Navy) had helped him stay at least somewhat confident in himself.

With anxious thoughts still swinging around in his mind, Doanld pulled up on the road curb across the street. They hadn’t hired a valet yet, but with The House getting more popular, he was sure it was one of the top priorities, along with chef.

Donald groaned when he realized he had forgotten to call his cousin Gus about the chef job! He still had a few minutes before he had to go in so, fishing out his phone, he pressed on his cousin’s contact number and hoped it hadn’t changed. 

It rang for it about ten seconds before it was answered. Donald gulped and croaked out a small, "Hello?"

"Donald?" Gus' voice came out clear, "It's been awhile! What's up?"

He chuckled, "It has been awhile, hasn't it? Well, I actually have been reconnecting with people recently."

"Oh? That's pretty cool of you, Don!"

"Annnd, I was wondering if you were looking for work?"

Gus laughed, Donald could hear some rustling on the other end, "I actually just got fired at my old job for eating some of the food in storage."

Donald cringed, "Maybe don't do that at this new job, or mention it. Please?

"Don't even worry about it! What's the job?"

\-----

When he walked into the building, there was 5 minutes until it opened. This was one of the few times he'd ever come in on time for a job, much less early. He could only hope that it would stay like that.

At the front desk sat Daisy, typing away at the computer. He walked up to her and placed his hands on the counter top.

"Oh! Hey, Donald!" She looked up and grinned at him, "Are you excited for your first day of work?"

"I guess?"

"Good, well Mickey is in the back setting up the stage with Minnie. And Goofy is in the kitchen." 

"Thanks," they smiled at each other, then he started walking to the back stage. He'd ask Mickey what he could do to help and what he should do once the customers came in, which should be soon.

While House of Mouse was new, and the staff wasn't perfect yet, it was starting to make a name for itself. It was very unique in the way it was formatted and gave out entertainment. There weren't many clubs open for all, and he was sure this was the only one that played short films. Though Mickey mentioned getting an official band and maybe even hiring people as special guests to do different types of shows. Donald couldn't help but admire how visionary and creative Mickey was.

When he got there, he saw Mickey messing with the mics, and Minnie was moving around boxes. She almost dropped one, but Donald rushed over and caught it before it could hit the ground. He fell to the floor and on his tail, the box secure in his lap, and he huffed in a bit of pain.

Donald looked up in surprise at the sound of giggling. Minnie had a hand in front of her mouth as she laughed, but then moved to grab the box out of his hands.

"Oh no! Is everyone alright?" Mickey rushed over after hearing the commotion.

Minnie placed the box down next to herself on the ground, then offered Donald a hand to help him up. He gladly accepted. 

"We're ok, Donald bravely caught a box I dropped," she giggled again, "Silly me! Thanks so much Donald!" 

"Bravely?" He asked in confusion.

The two mice ignored him and Mickey patted him on the back, "Thanks, pal!"

Donald grimaced, “You’re welcome, I guess.” He looked at Minnie, unsure, but she just continued to smile, “Is there anything I can help with?”

The three spent the next five-ish minutes moving boxes, setting up the stage, and other stuff. Donald meet Mike the Microphone, and when Minnie begged him to talk about his boys, they laughed at stories of the ducklings. And the whole time Minnie just smiled at him, patient, warm, and forgiving.

\-------

Mickey looked at his watch, "Ok one minute till opening, guys! Minnie can you help Goofy in the kitchen?"

"Of course!" She hurried off. Mickey turned to Donald.

"I guess I didn't explain what you're job is to do that well yesterday," he laughed embarrassed, "Well for now I'll need you too stand by the door to greet people. Welcomes are key for a welcoming environment! Then if we have any customer issues or any VIP guests coming in, I'll call you over to assist them, ok? Oh and here’s the uniform!" The mouse took a deep breath in from using all his air, and handed Doanld a uniform similar to Daisy’s that he pulled out of nowhere. 

Donald nodded, "I won't let you down, Mic!"

———-

Donald was really scared of letting Mickey down. He had walked back to the front to be a greeter after changing, and had asked Daisy how many people were coming in today. She said about 40 throughout the day (most that evening) with about 100 reservation slots overall. Which wasn't bad for a new club (he should talk to Mickey advertising). But it really hadn't hit him until then that  _ he  _ would be the first thing people saw and heard when they came in. 

What if he scared them off? It had happened a lot when he'd talk to strangers for directions or to say excuse me. After he cut ties with Scrooge, he stopped the speech therapy that his Uncle was paying for. On of the only things he willingly spent money on. So without them his voice was harder to understand. Luckily he paid for his anger management though. 

Donald clenched his jaw and looked at the clock. The first reservation was going to be here soon. Should he go tell Mickey that he needed something else to do? No, he was lucky enough that Mickey was willing to give him a job in the first place. 

Daisy must've seen his internal struggle because she got up from her desk and hugged him from behind.

"You worried about our date later tonight?" She joked and he let out a strained laugh.

"No, I'm fine. It's nothing" he quickly replied.

She stared at him, unimpressed, "Donald, you're literally shaking."

Huh. He hadn't noticed. Well he knew Daisy would only continue to pry, so he sighed, "What if I scare the customers away with my voice? I've only had uninteractive jobs before."

Her eyes widened, then softened, “That won’t happen. Anyone who would seriously leave somewhere they paid to be, because of your voice, is not welcome here. Donald your voice is wonderful, please don’t let others get to you.”

“But…” he stammered weakly.

“Besides,” Daisy continued, “Most of the guests are pretty unique themselves. And you always have your super anger to scare anyone bad away!” 

Though Donald was still slightly nervous, still terrified of disappointing Mickey, and ruining the second change of friendship he got, Daisy’s words stopped his shaking. He took a deep breath. “Thank you, Daisy.”

She gave him a quick peck on the beak, “No, thank  _ you _ .”

The sound of a car parking interrupted them, Daisy rushed back to her desk and Donald went over to prepare to open the door (a job that would go to the valet once they got one). 

“Hello! Welcome to the House of Mouse!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry this took so long, life has been pretty busy for me, I’ve moved into a new house, school is being annoying, we didn’t have internet for awhile, etc. But this chapter is slightly longer than usual so yeah. I think?
> 
> ALSO GOOFY WILL BE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER DON’T WORRY. I wanted him in this one, but couldn’t figure out how to fit him in. Hope I did Minne justice too because I feel like instead of wanting to directly talk about it, she would just want to know stuff she missed out on, like the boys.
> 
> ALSO I tried to something with Donald being self conscious about his voice? Not sure if it went well or not, but it’ll probably show up again, because anxieties don’t just go away, you know? 
> 
> AND aLsO, I’m not sure if I’m going Daisy justice, because, while I’m trying to follow a more House of Mouse, Quack Pack, type version of her (so less mean and more caring), she’s still Daisy Duck, bossy and pushy and all that stuff. So I’ll try to add that throughout the rest of the chapters if I can. Also in HoM she’s a fangirl, and there’s no way I’m not adding that!


	4. Chapter 4

By the time lunch rolled around, Donald was nothing short of exhausted. Only 15 of the days 40 reservations had come so far, most coming in for the evening show, but he hadn’t had that much social interaction in a long time, so the experience was draining. Though he had much, much worse before and he definitely wasn’t one to quit easily.

To his utter relief, there was no comment from customers (so far) about his voice. There was more than a few weird looks, but that was much better than he had hoped for. Daisy was right when she said most of the customers were pretty unique. There was quite a range of different types of people and animals. Some he was sure were neither, and had scared him when he greeted them.

Because it was lunch and all the lunch reservations had arrived, he assumed now would be a good time for a break, as he had no work to do. Unless a customer was requesting specific help, of course!

So, Donald said bye to Daisy, who was eating a packed lunch at her desk, and started walking to the kitchen. He had forgotten to pack a lunch for himself that morning, what with being so busy with the boys, but his main reason for heading to the kitchen was because he had yet to see Goofy. 

The guy was probably busy, serving people and all, but Donald would feel horrible if he didn’t at least try. If it didn’t work out, he could always see Goofy at the end of the day, but on the other hand, he could even help in the kitchen. Not with the cooking though. Making simple meals for three hungry boys is a lot different than making meals for paying customers who would actually expected the food to be in top notch quality. 

Getting there, he passed the main room. It was impressive. The room was only a little less than halfway full, but it still felt packed. There was a lot of talking and laughter coming from the guests as they ate. Because there was no official band, or guest band, yet, Mickey had soft instrumental musical playing. Just the sound of it made Donald want to grab something and play. 

There were small penguins, all in little bowties, running around with serving trays. Donald assumed these were the other waiters Mickey mentioned. He was impressed by how they got to all of the customers quickly and effectively. He did notice some of the food they were serving was a bit strange though. Like a warthog and meerkat, who got two bowels filled with bugs and insects. 

But he didn’t have time to daddle, so he continued on and into the bustling kitchen.

There wasn’t an official chef yet, and hopefully Gus would get the job, but at the moment a lot of the penguins seemed to be helping with the cooking. Minnie was there to, both supervising and making some of the food as well. The kitchen itself was pretty big, larger than Scrooge’s (though for a trillionaire, his kitchen was nearly criminally small). Everything was neat and tidy, but in a sort of chaotic fashion, but that might have been because of the hustle and bustle of making tons of food.

Donald glanced around, not seeing Goofy anywhere. Did he just miss him when he was in the main room? His question was answered when Goofy rushed through the double doors and almost collided into him. 

“Woah! Woah!” the lanky dog ran into a counter. Donald winced as Goofy let out a slow groan of pain. He sat up and grabbed an empty serving tray he had dropped. 

“Hey, pal. Need a hand?” Donald went over to help him up, extending his hand. 

The moment Goofy looked up and they made eye contact, his whole face lit up. He jumped up, and once he was sturdy, Goofy snatched Donald up from the ground in a big bear hug. 

“Donald!” He placed the startled duck down, “ How have you been? How are the boys?”

“Hey, Goof,” Donald answered once his head stopped spinning from all the sudden motions, “We’ve been good. How’s little Maxie?”

Goofy opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a swarm of waiter penguins scurrying by. “Oh! Silly me!” Goofy chuckled, “I have to go, but I’ll see you in a bit!” He grabbed a waiting dish off a counter and dashed off, tripping on his feet.

Donald smiled, Goofy hadn’t changed. Really, it seemed, none of them had, where it was important. Had he? In a way, he guessed. Now that he had three more lives that he was responsible for, it was hard to be as carefree as he had been in the past. Though, even then, he was riddled with anxieties about what his bad luck could do to him next. His time in the Navy certainly didn’t help.

Dodging a few penguins, he walked over to Minnie, who was immersed in cooking something in a pot over the stove.

“Hiya, Minnie!” he enthusiastically said.

She jumped a bit, but started giggling when she turned around and saw him, “Hey, Donald!” Minnie continued to stir the pot, “What brings you to the kitchen?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and leaned against the counter behind him, “Well, I didn;t pack a lunch this morning, and I wanted to say hi to Goofy.”

“Oh! Do you want me to fix you up something?” Minne asked, tilting her head slightly.

Donald waved his hands in front of him frantically, “No, no! You’re so busy! I’ll be fine for now. Do you need any help?”

Minnie hummed, “Well, if you say so. I do need a little help, we may not have a full house, but the guests we do have are eating us out of business!” she laughed.

Donald smiled. He spent the next hour or so in the kitchen helping Minnie. And even at some point, Goofy had grabbed him on his way through and convinced him to distribute some of the food. Goofy was handling most of the ‘taking your order’ stuff, along with a few of the penguins. Of course, again, this didn’t leave much room to talk, but he felt more alive than he had in years. Goofy and him bounced off each other like their was never any time apart, for which Donald was beyond thankful. 

Eventually he had to go back to the front, the evening guests were coming in and the day was winding down. If he guessed correctly, he’d be home about an hour before the boys needed to be put to bed. Luckily he saw this happening and had called in a babysitter to put them up from school and take care of them until he came back.

“Hey, how did it go?” Daisy asked when see saw him walking in. 

“Not bad, actually,” Donald went over to her and leaned on her desk, “Better than I thought, but that’s how I’ve felt about a lot of these lately.”

Daisy smiled, “That’s really good, Donald!” He smiled back.

Much like in the morning and afternoon, the whole greeting business went smoothly. Again there was one or two people who stared when he talked, but most were eccentric enough themselves that they didn’t seem to even notice. It made Donald feel a lot more confident in himself.

So everything was presiding normally, until three guests came in.

A human man and woman couple came in, linked arms and smiling. The guy whispered to her, “I heard for a new starter, this place is pretty good!” She laughed in response.

Once they made it up to him, Donald held his hand out to shake, but before the man could reach his own out, Donald’s hand was taken and shook roughly by a big, blue guy who was floating off the ground.

Donald was yanked up and down, and when he was finally put down he was so dizzy he almost didn’t hear the blue guy speak, “Hello! Hello! What a fine place you have here!” 

“Huh?” Donald shook his head and glared at the guy, “What’s the big idea, pal?”

In a poof, he went from right in front of Donald to beside him. He laughed and hit the angered duck on the back lightheartedly, “This place is a big deal! It’s got pizazz!” He did jazz hands. 

“Genie, leave the poor guy alone.” the man told him.

Genie laughed, “I’m just messing around! Having some fun!” He poofed again and was suddenly behind the couple.

“Sorry about that,” the man walked up and gave Donald a proper handshake, “Genie’s just excited. I’m Aladdin. And this is my wife, Jasmine.”

Donald shook his hand back, “It’s fine. Anyway, Welcome to the House of Mouse! If you go by the reception desk, right over there, our reservation clerk can show you to your table.”

Aladdin and Jasmine smiled at him, both saying a quick thank you before walking away. Genie waved enthusiastically, then follow his friends.

“Well, that was weird,” Donald muttered to himself.

\-----

The night was still young for the club goers. Around 7 pm, so hardly around night at all, really. But Donald had made it clear to Mickey that this job couldn’t get in the way of him seeing his boys. And he and Daisy were going out until maybe 8ish. At their very young age, it wouldn’t be good if he didn’t at least spend some time with them and tuck them into bed. Once they got older, he might bring them over to the club. It was family friendly after all. He just hoped they were good for the babysitter.

He walked backstage with Daisy to say goodbye and clock out, and saw Mickey and Goofy there talking.

“Hey guys,” he walked up to them. Daisy walked to the kitchen to talk to Minnie.

They smiled and Goofy hugged him again, “Hey Donald!”

“Clocking out?” Mickey asked, “How was your first day?”

“Yeah me and Daisy have plans, and I want to see the boys before they go to sleep,” Donald paused, “I really can’t thank you guys enough. This job is amazing. And not just that, you’ve just been so nice.”

“There’s nothing to thank us for, Pal,” Mickey nudged him, “We’re happy to have you. Oh, and good news! One of the guests liked the place enough that he said he’d help advertise!”

“Really? Mick, that’s great!” Donald exclaimed.

“Well, I owe my thanks to you!” Donald looked at him in confusion, “He said he had a great first impression!”

“Oh!” he said shocked, “Who was it?”

“The Genie! Isn’t that grand?” 

Donald’s eyes widened and then he started to laugh, the other two were confused, but joined in.

“We should hang out sometime! Donald, your boys should meet Max!” Goofy suggested.

“Definitely!” Donald smiled and said his goodbyes. He met Daisy by the door and they left.

\-----

Nothing particularly special happened on their date. Donald didn’t have a lot of money so they just walked around a very lovely park. Lights were put up around the scenery, which Daisy said made it more romantic. Back in the day, Daisy preferred more fancy dinners, and extravagant places, but when Donald mentioned this, she said, “I’ve learned to appreciate the thought more than the expense. We have a lot of catching up to do and I want to make this work. I’ve been told I can be a bit materialistic and bossy, so I want to change that, enjoy moments like this when we’re together. I’m going to try to be more understanding to you than I was when we were younger.”

“Daisy,” he replied, “I’ve always liked you for who you are. Self improvements been something I’ve been working on for years, but I want you for you. Thank you so much.”

And when it was time to head home, Daisy and him walked to his houseboat. 

When they entered they saw the babysitter sitting on the couch, three little ducklings playing with toys in front of her. The moment the door closed, Donald had his arms full with giggling boys. 

“Hey boys,” he kissed the tops of their heads, “Did you behave for Mrs. Beverly?”

“Yes, Unca Donald!” Three voices answered at once.

“Really?” he raised an eyebrow.

Mrs. Beverly, the babysitter, got up and walked over to them, “For once, actually.”

Donald put the boys down, “Well that means you get a reward doesn’t it? Go get in to your pajamas and then come to the kitchen, ok?”

They nodded and ran out of the room, but not without a few curious looks at Daisy, who was still standing near the door.

“Thank you again, Mrs. Beverly.” Donald handed her the money.

She took it and smiled, “No problem, dear. Have a good evening. And you, Miss.” Mrs. Beverly addressed Daisy then left.

“She was nice,” Daisy commented as the two headed into the small kitchen/dining area. She sat down on one of the chairs and he started making milk and cookies for the boys. It was rare that they got anything, but he figured they deserved it. 

Donald hummed in agreement, “She’s one of the only people who are still willing to babysit them.”

“So, troublemakers, huh?” She laughed.

“You can't imagine!,” He laughed, “Do you want anything, Daisy?”

“Oh, no thanks.”

It wasn’t long before three pairs of webbed feet came running into the kitchen. Once they caught sight of the cookies, they squealed in delight.

“Take a seat boys,” Donald said, finishing up. The triplets hurried to the table, sitting on the booth coach behind the table. As Donald was putting the plates in front of them, Huey asked, pointing at Daisy, “Who are you?” Dewey and Louie nodded, also curious.

She smiled at them, “I’m Daisy. It’s really nice to meet you. Your Uncle has told me a lot about you.”

The boys looked at each other, then back at her. Being five and having treats in front of them, they very quickly lost interest, Dewey being the first to dive into his cookies and his brothers following suit.

Donald sat next to Daisy in the other chair, “The attention span of a five year old is very short, especially with sugar available.” She giggled.

The two talked quietly for a moment, but it didn’t take long for the boys to finish.

“Ok, time for bed, guys. Go brush your teeth and I’ll be there in a second to tuck you in.” Donald grabbed their plates and cups.

“Thank you, Uncle Donald.” They said, then shuffled out of the room.

\-----------

“Uncle Donald?” Louie asked as he tucked the boys in. Daisy was waiting in the living room. 

“Yes, Louie? What is it?” Donald asked gently. 

“Are you Daisy dating?” He scrunched up his little face, “Because there was a kid at school who said his Mom was dating a guy and now he’s his new dad. So is Daisy going to be our new Aunt?” 

Dewey and Huey both nodded their heads. And if Donald had to guess, they had all talked about this to each other when they were brushing their teeth. He sighed, “She might be, but we’ll wait and see, ok?”

“Ok,” Louie said and laid back on his pillow. Donald smiled and kissed them all. He could tell they all wanted to ask more questions, but were much too tired.

“Goodnight, kids.”

“Goodnight, Uncle Donald.”

\-----------

Donald and Daisy sat on the couch together, while it wasn’t that late, both were tired after the busy day. 

“Would you like to stay the night? It’s ok if you don’t.” He whispered.

“I’d love to, if I’m not intruding?” Daisy whispered back.

“Of course not.”

“Great then,” she pecked him on the cheek and he blushed.

“Great,” He replied, breathless smiling, and feeling extremely lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! School's been really stressful lately and some other life stuff was happening. I don't think I like this chapter that much, but eh, I tried my best and it's longer than the others so hopefully that'll make up for the wait. 
> 
> Also, I got to put in an Aladdin reference! My two favorite Disney things are The Donald Duck universe and Aladdin 1-3! I wanted to have another Disney character help with advertisement and I couldn't think of anyone (sorry if there's someone better suited to the job) so I settled for The Genie~ 
> 
> I heard that Daisy was confirmed for season 3 of DuckTales, and I couldn't be more excited! But I'm also nervous because I already feel like I'm botching the Disney established character, but when they add her in she'll most likely have a personality quite different than the one I'm portraying, which is very scary to me.
> 
> And if it seems like Donald and Daisy are moving fast, I know, and I don't know how to stop it. My brain just wants them to get married already, but I'm trying my best to hold back lol
> 
> You guys are all so amazing! Have a great day!


	5. Chapter 5

It had been a week since Donald started working at The House of Mouse. He had only that one date with Daisy so far, so everyday was a schedule of bringing the boys to school, going to work, and then getting home in time to tuck the boys in. There had been only a few times where a customer needed help in some way, which he then offered his services, but no VIPs yet.

Working with his newly reunited friends had to be the most fun he’d had for years, and he couldn’t be more grateful. With his bad luck he never would have thought this could happen. And with the Genie’s help, the House had become more popular, even in such a short time span. He worked with Mickey to set up advertisement deals and he used his powers to spread the word.

But, because of the growing influx of people coming, some things needed to get done fast. Luckily his cousin, Gus Goose, had shown up the previous day and interviewed for the chef job.

“Hey Donald!” Gus called out to him when he’d shown up. They hugged and caught up for a moment before Donald led him to Mickey for the interview. It went relatively smooth, all things considering. Donald had to stop Gus from talking about his eating habits a few times though. He just hoped it wouldn’t be a problem, like in Gus’ previous jobs.

Next order of business was entertainment. Mickey wanted his club to be different, so he played cartoons for the crowd. Cartoons Mickey had gotten from back in their groups high school days. He, Mickey, Goofy, and the girls had recorded some silly videos when they were younger. And if Donald had his way, they’d never seen the light of day. But the guests really seemed to like them! And not in ‘we’re making fun of you way’ either. No other club Donald had heard of did this, and he really couldn’t believe it worked.

But they couldn’t play cartoons all the time, and like other clubs, they needed a band. So they got to auditioning. During their lunch break, he and Mickey interviewed many bands, but so far none of them seemed to fit what they were looking for. Loud, energetic, crowd pleasing, and recognizable. A band people would immediately recognize, sound wise and band members wise.

So, at that moment, Donald, Mickey, and Minnie were all in one of the back rooms. Now that Gus was handling the cooking, Minnie was free to work on the finances more often, which really helped in the budget. The three of them were listening to a band called, ‘The Zippy Lizards’. They were loud, yes, but, good? No.

“Yes, Thank you, we’ll be in touch.” Mickey said as politely as he could, but his ears were drooping. Donald could slowly feel his patience leaving him and a headache coming on.

“Is that it? Can I go back to Daisy now, please?” He asked the mice. Minnie nodded in agreement.

Mickey sighed, “I guess. But I’m getting a bit nervous the longer this takes.”

Minnie kissed his check, “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.” Mickey smiled at her and said his thanks.

Donald scoffed, “Well none of these bands are any good! And most aren’t even amateurs! Even my band was better when we started out than those bozos!”

There was a moment of silence, Donald leaned back in his chair and didn’t notice the mice stare at him. But eventually he looked over and saw their stunned looks, “Uh, what?” he asked confused.

“Donald,” Minnie asked slowly, “You were in a band?”

“Oh, yeah,” he sat up straight, “Back in college. When I studied abroad. Then we played for a bit while I was touring South America in the Navy.” 

“Well,” Mickey began, excitedly, “Where are the other band members?”

“In South America?”

“Do you think you can get them here?”

“I literally just said that they’re in South America.”

“Donald, please,” Minnie interrupted, “we need a band.”

“Well,” Donald hesitated, “I’ll give them a call, but that’s not a guarantee!” he looked at them pointedly and crossed his arms, “You don’t even know if we sound good or not.”

Mickey laughed, “Guess we’ll just have to see then!” Minnie giggled.

Donald groaned, “I’ll send you a CD or something,” and walked out of the room.

\---------

“Hello, welcome! Reservation is just that way, sir.” Donald greeted a tall, muscular man who kinda remind him of Storkules in a way. The guys said thanks and left.

Donald watched him walk over to Daisy and sighed, getting bored. So, he pulled out his phone and texted the babysitter, asking how the boys were. She replied saying the were doing good. After that he walked over to Daisy.

“Hey,” he said and leaned on the counter, “How long until the next guest is supposed to arrive?”

She checked the computer, “A pretty big group’s coming in in about thirty minutes, so if you want to sneak out I won’t tell,” she winked.

He smiled gratefully, “Thanks!” 

Donald then headed to the kitchen to see if Goofy was there. Surprisingly, the boys had been really well behaved recently, and he felt that he should take Goofy up on his offer, and throw together a play date between their children. The boys didn’t have many friends outside themselves and maybe introducing them to Max could change that. And, while he appreciated everything she had done for him, the boy’s current babysitter was getting older and less capable of watching three young, hyper ducklings. Max was probably old enough. Well, he’ll ask Goofy.

Once he made it there, he immediately had to dodge a group of penguins scurrying out to serve the customers. Then he dodged a flying bowl of food, which landed and splattered the wall behind him. 

“What was that?!” he cried. He looked to the direction it came from and saw Gus looking a him sheepishly. 

“Sorry,” he said, “I was getting a bit carried away.” Behind them, one of the penguins had started to clean the mess. 

Donald rolled his eyes, “Well, anyway, have you seen Goofy? I need to talk to him.”

Gus hmmed, took a bite of some sort of pastry and answered, “He just left into the main area.”

“Thanks,” Donald grumbled and started walking out. Halfway out the door he yelled back, “And don’t eat all the food, Gus!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Cuz!”

Donald shook his head in exasperation. He walked to the main area and looked across the crowd. It was pretty busy now, hopefully Goofy wasn’t too busy. 

After awhile, he found his friend. He was serving a small table with a wooden kid and a cricket? He’d seen weirder, but boy was he confused. But Donald brushed it off, now wasn’t the time. So he headed on over.

“Here’s that salad, little sir!” Goofy set down a bowl at the table. 

The cricket nodded in acknowledgement, “A salad is a healthy option. Good choice.”

The wooden boy hummed, “Yes, I guess so,” He turned to Goofy, “Thanks, mister.”

Goofy let out his signature laugh and turned around to leave, bumping into Donald. Donald huffed and Goofy rubbed his neck, “Hey, Donald! Didn’t see you there!”

“Hey, Goofy,” Donald smiled tiredly, “Have a second? I know this might be a bad time so I could check in later if you’d want. I have to be back in the front in about twenty minutes anyway.”

Goofy chuckled and patted Donald on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, Don! The penguins can handle things for a minute. And I’m pretty burned, so I wouldn’t mind a break.”

“Great! Heh, let’s head somewhere more quiet then.” They both walked over to the backstage area. 

“So what did you need, Donald?” Goofy sat on a crate against the wall, Donald in front of him.

“Well I was thinking we could set up that play date between the kids? I want the boys to have more friends, and it would give us a good chance to catch up more.”

“Hmmm,” Goofy thought for a moment, “That’s not a bad idea, Don! We can make the arrangements!”

“Great!” Donald smiled, then frowned, “But we should probably get back to our jobs first.”

“Oh right!”

\---------------

“Uncle Donald, Uncle Donald!” the three ducklings hugged him as he came through the door.

“Hiya, boys! How was your day?” He set them down and slipped the babysitter the money as the kids all tried talking at the same time. She smiled and left, leaving him to try and make sense of what they were saying. 

“Woah, waoh, calm down, boys. One at a time.” Donald sat down and they crowded him. They stopped and paused, before Dewey spoke up.

“In school today we got to watch movies!”

“Yeah! And there was an extended recess!” Huey said and climbed on Donald’s lap, then his brother’s followed his example.

“When we got home, Mrs. Beverly let us watch cartoons,” Louie added. 

He smiled at them, and gathered them in a hug, “Well I’m glad you all had a good day.”

“Did you have a good day, Uncle Donald?” Huey asked curiously.

He smiled, “Yeah, I did.” One of the first in a long time too. Which reminded him, he had a phone call to make.

“Ok, boys, head to your room. You can play with your toys for a bit before bed, but right now I have to make a phone call.”

They left, both happy to have toy time, yet sad to not be able to spend time with their Uncle.

“Ok, it’s time,” he took a breath and steadied himself. Panchito and Jose were the friends he kept in the most contact with throughout the years, but it had still been awhile. Not to mention he was going to ask them two outrageous requests. Come to another country on a whim, and for them to play again. Not that he wouldn’t want that though, and Mickey had listened to the CD he gave him and cleared The Three Caballeros to play.

He pulled up their names on his phone and called both at the same time. He clenched his fists in nervousness as it rang a few times before finally picking up.

“Hello?” Panchito’s voice came through.

“Panchito?” Jose asked in excitement, “My old friend!”

“Oh Jose! How are you?”

“Very good my friend! And you?”

“Better now!”

Donald cleared his throat, “Guys?”

There was silence before simultaneous, “Donal’?”s 

“Yeah, who do you think called you?” Donald rolled his eyes.

Jose started cracking up, while Panchito ignored what he said and basically yelled through his phone, “How are you, amigo? It’s been so long!”

“Oh um, I’m good, thanks.” he replied, awkwardly.

“Did something happen, Donal’?” Jose asked after calming down, “You haven’t called in awhile...Which is fine! We know your busy and all.” Panchito made a noise of agreement.

“Oh well,” Donald hesitated, “Do you remember Mickey? The childhood friend I told you about?” Once they both confirmed they did, he continued, “Well I recently got back into contact with him and I’m working at his club now.”

“Congratulates! That sounds like a fun job, working with your friend and all.” Jose chuckled. 

Donald laughed back, abit more nervous, “Thanks, I actually really love this job, and it pays more so it’ll definitely help with the boys.” He cleared his throat again, “Um but, the clubs pretty new so we’re still working out the details and stuff. And one of the things we still need is a band…”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying, amigo?!” Panchito hollered.

“If what you think I’m saying is to come to Duckburg and get the band back together, then yes, please.”

“We’re there!” Jose answered enthusiastically. 

“Absolutely! Though it’ll probably take awhile,” Panchito laughed. 

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Donald eased up more, “But really guys, you’re probably busy and it costs a lot of money to travel. I don’t want to inconvenience you or anything.”

“No, no not at all!” Jose reassured him.

“And it’s about time The Three Caballeros rode again, don’t you think?” Panchtio added.

“Thanks guys,” Donald smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, ok, it’s been awhile again, and honestly I don’t think I liked the way this chapter turned out that much, except the first section, I like how that part turned out, but idk. I had finals, a cold, Christmas, another cold, and just was very busy haha. So sorry if this seems rushed? Whatever lol. I’ve also gotten like three more story ideas, but I don’t think I can handle more than just one story with reasonable update times, so we’ll see.
> 
> So the band boys are going to be reunited!! How exciting! I hope I can do them justice!
> 
> Also in regards to Max, I’m probably going to make him around 13-16, but I’m not sure, I’m trying to figure out the math between the boys and him. The House of Mouse wiki says that Max is 18-19 in the show, so I’m guessing he started working there at like 16-17 or something, and the triplets are just described as “slightly older than in other series” like in Quack Pack, so I have more leeway in deciding when they’ll be a band and stuff. Idk, I’ll figure it out soon, hopefully.


	6. Chapter 6

Daisy was here again, and Dewey wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Uncle Donald had left him and his brothers at home while he went to the airport to ‘pick up some friends’, whoever they were. And instead of their normal babysitter, Uncle Donald had left Daisy in charge.

Huey had said she might become their new mom, and Louie said he didn’t trust her. Dewey was just confused to be honest. Who was she? She was really nice, letting them run around without the life vests and giving them yummy treats, but she did just appear randomly. Was she dating their Uncle?

In his short life, Dewey had already seen enough romance movies to recognize a blooming romance. The main characters always looked at each other the same way Uncle Donald looked at Daisy. So Dewey didn’t have much of a problem with her. He did always want a mom anyways, wondering what that’d be like. And Uncle Donald deserved to be happy.

At the moment, Dewey and his brothers were fighting over what cartoon to watch, while Daisy watched from the kitchen. 

“Can’t we watch Otteman Empire?” Louie was pouting.

Dewey frowned, “But I want to watch a cartoon.”

“Play nice boys,” She called out to them. Huey and Dewey promptly answered back with a, “Yes, Ms. Daisy.” Uncle Donald had taught them to be polite to everyone, especially nice adults. But Louie still sulked. 

Daisy walked over to them, “Is there something you would all like? Or maybe you could take turns?”

Huey hummed in thought and Dewey just sighed. 

“Fine,” Louie said in frustration, “Watch your dumb cartoons.” He ran to their room and slammed the door behind him, Daisy frowned and called after him, “Louie!” 

Dewey knew he shouldn’t feel bad, but tears started to fall from his eyes and it wasn’t long before he started crying. Huey just looked conflicted and started to sniffle, overwhelmed with all that was happening. Daisy bent down and took them into her arms and shushed them gently, “Hey, it’s ok. He didn’t mean that.” 

Dewey shook his head in her shoulder. “That’s not it?” Daisy asked and he nodded, “Well I can’t help if I don’t know the problem, sweetie.” 

Dewey was silent for a second before saying quietly, “I upset Louie.” 

“Oh no, honey,” Daisy cooed, “It wasn’t your fault. Sometimes people lash out at things or people they’re not actually mad at.”

“Like Uncle Donald?” Huey spoke up.

Daisy laughed softly, “Yes, exactly.” She wiped Dewey’s feathers of his tears and then got up, “I have to go and talk to your brother now, ok?” The two nodded and she walked away.

\---------------------

Daisy lightly knocked on the door. There was a small, “Go away.” 

She frowned, “I need to talk to you, Louie.” There was no sound so Daisy opened the door and walked in. 

Louie was sitting on his bunk bed, head shoved in his pillow. Daisy couldn’t help but think of how adorable he was. But now definitely wasn’t the time.

She went over and sat next to him, keeping the silence when he didn’t react. After a few seconds though, “Are you mad at your brothers?” she asked quietly. Louie shook his head. 

“Ok,” she said slowly, “Are you mad at me?”

Louie didn’t answer. Daisy sighed. 

The day before, Donald had asked her if she could watch his boys while he picked up his friends from the airport. Their regular sitter was busy that day and it was important that Daisy spent time with them. Daisy was determined to be the best girlfriend ever, unlike when they were younger. She had been too self centered, and the boys were basically Donald’s whole life up until she ran into him, so she would do everything she could to connect with them. Not to mention she would hopefully become their aunt someday.

Luckily for her, she had experience with children already. Her nieces had stayed with her a lot when they were younger, as their mother, Daisy’s sister Donna, wasn’t the most responsible of people and wasn’t around very often. 

But she wasn’t the best with kids all the same. She tried her best, but it was so easy for her to get ahead of herself. Donald was an amazing father, it was plain for anyone to see. And if she couldn’t even get along with his kids, did she really deserve to be with him? After all he went through? 

While her thoughts slowly started getting a bit overwhelming, Louie had become more and more restless and impatient. “Please don’t take Uncle Donald away from us!” he yelled and promptly burst into tears. 

Daisy, pulled out of her thoughts, looked back at the duckling, startled, “What?” Louie only cried louder, “That’s what you’re worried about?” She almost laughed, but remembered that laughing at a child's fear, regardless of how small or ridiculous, would be extremely counterproductive when trying to show them you care about their feelings.

And to her, the fear was ridiculous. The notion that anyone could take Donald away from his boys was basically unfathomable. But Louie was five, his parental figure was dating for the first time he knew about, and they had already been abandoned once (not that they knew that though), so she really couldn’t blame him for being scared. But she would have to set the record straight before this escalated into anything worse.

“Huey, Dewey! Come here, please!” She called to the other boys. Not very surprisingly, they were already just outside the doorway. Huey looked a little sheepish at being caught, but, like Dewey, was too consumed with worry for their little brother for it to last long. The two boys ran over to Louie and climbed up onto the bed, then squeezed him into a big hug. Louie frowned, but hugged back, his crying slowing down.

Once they were all settled down Daisy turned and looked at each directly, “Listen boys, Your Uncle loves you more than anything else in this whole world. I can’t do anything to change that, no one ever could.” She took a deep breath, “Sometimes people meet new people and become friends, but that doesn’t mean that they’re replacing their other friends. If your Uncle leaves you three for me, then I would leave him for you! Do you understand, boys?”

They all looked at her, innocently wide-eyed. “I think so,” Huey said quietly.

“Would you really do that?” Louie asked wiping his eyes, “Leave Uncle Donald if he left us?”

Daisy nodded, she wouldn’t date a guy who’d abandon his own kids! “But he would never, ever do that. And I want to be a part of his life, but that also means being a part of your guy’s life too, so I’m going to try my best.” 

Dewey flung himself at her and she caught him, surprised. 

“Thank you,” he said, “You make him happy.” She smiled and pulled them all into a hug.

“I hope so,” She replied softly, “Are you feeling better now, Louie?” the boy nodded, “That’s good.”

They all sat there for awhile in silence. Just taking in all that had happened. Daisy could feel her heart soaring, she wasn’t sure if she handled the situation perfectly, or if the boys really did understand (them being only five), but maybe she wouldn’t be so bad with the kids after all.

\------------

Donald checked his watch again for probably the millionth time. He paced back and forth, gaining some strange looks. Jose and Panchito wanted to arrive at the same time so Jose took a flight to Mexico, met with Panchito, then they both got a flight to Duckburg.

They were scheduled to arrive any minute now and he was very nervous. So unbelievably excited, but nervous. It had been so long since they had seen each other and he was scared they would be ashamed or disappointed with him. He wasn’t the same person they hung out with all those years ago. Small and spread out contact through the phone could only do so much.

Back then, they were basically together 24/7. Donald had gone to the Navy straight out of high school, and college right after that. Him, Jose, and Panchito lived in the Cabana he had inherited from his great grandfather on his father's side of the family to avoid paying for a dorm. They did suffer a bit in their studies when they fought Felldrake and Sheldgoose, but did relatively well considering. Xandra didn’t really understand all the college stuff so she mostly stayed out of it, but did help for some close up and/or ancient research for essays. They even used some of the (less important) treasure from their ancestors to pay off most of their student loans and debt.

At some point they even decided to start a band considering their mutual love of music. It was hard for him to readjust back to normal life so it was all so amazing. After four months Donald was called home, where Della told him he was going to be an Uncle. It was the second happiest day of his life for sure (first being when the boys hatched, though that was equally as sad). But then The Spear of Selene happened. 

Donald dropped out of college, knowing he wouldn’t have time for it anymore (though that made it even harder to find a job). He bought a houseboat and moved out of the Cabana, not wanting to involve the boys in any of the dangers that followed the Cabaerolls, even in college life. 

Jose and Panchito urged him not to go, but he didn't listen. And all of them were too busy to visit each other. It wasn’t long before they left back to their home countries, and none had seen each other since. 

Taking a deep breath to steal his nerves, Donald tried to not lose himself in the memories anymore. He needed a clear mind when they showed up.  
And before he knew it, he felt two bodies crash into his and wrap their arms around him. Donald laughed and tried not to tear up, “Hey guys.”

\-----------------------

Huey sighed. All day had been hectic and stressful for him. Uncle Donald had gone to bring home strangers and left Daisy in charge of them, a sort of stranger. Huey did like her though, she was practical and responsible, like their Uncle. Dewey seemed to like her, and after their conversation, Louie appeared to be warming up to her. Which was good, Huey hated it when people didn’t like each other.

That whole mess was very overwhelming for Huey. He was very grateful that Daisy had stepped in, but as the oldest triplet, he felt like he had failed somehow. He wasn’t able to help or comfort either of his brothers. There wasn’t much he could’ve done, but it still made him feel guilty.

After awhile of quiet hugging, Daisy had led them back into the living room and gave them coloring books, instead of having them fight over the TV. And it was peaceful. Slowly Huey felt himself relaxing. He still had guilt brewing in his mind, but it was better when he wasn’t focusing on it. 

Daisy sat in front of them, a crayon and a picture of her own. She asked them about themselves, like their hobbies. Dewey babbled on excitedly about their school’s drama club that they were still too young to join. Louie talking quietly and briefly about an idea he had to make money, and then Daisy turned to him.

“So, Huey,” she said casually, “What do you like to do? Donald told me you’re in some kind of club?” And immediately Huey’s face lit up.

“The Junior Woodchucks!” He grinned, “It’s so much fun! We get to play outside, and do fun activities, and earn cool badges, and..” he kept on going. Daisy smiled at him and listened as he rambled. Dewey and Louie, who had just recently dropped the Junior Woodchucks rolled their eyes.

And so, Huey’s tension gradually faded away, forgetting his earlier troubles. Everything was good now, but Huey still couldn’t wait for Uncle Donald to get home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow! Guys it’s been awhile. First time posting this decade lol. Lots of crap happening at school oof. One of those things was that we started reading some Shakespeare in English, which led to me rewatching Something Rotten (a musical about a guy who hates Shakespeare). IT WAS FANTASTIC! One of my favorites definitely. And I noticed that some of the songs fit really well with some Ducktales characters:  
Right Hand Man: Donald and Daisy, it’s just so cute and I feel like this would be something that would happen (not in the new Ducktales though lol)  
I Love the Way: Dewey and Webby, ok so this is a romantic song so if you ship them it’s perfect, but tbh I’m on the fence with that pairing lol, but regardless, both characters in the song just fit so well it’s impossible for me not to think of them  
Hard to Be the Bard & Will Power: I just imagine Gladstone just fucking around and going slightly insane bascially
> 
> In regards to Dewey being accepting of Daisy and Louie not, even though it could be played the other way around, I just thought that Dewey was a bit too young to be thinking of Della yet and Louie’s very distrusting and very attached to his Uncle.
> 
> I hope I was able to explain why Donald ended up alone well. Because like, rationally in his situation the best option would be to stay in the Cabana (freeish housing with friends) and stay in college so he could get better jobs (and Ari or Xandra or whatever could babysit), but like plot so...


End file.
